Phase transition behavior and piezoelectric properties of low-Li and high-Sb modified KNN based piezoceramics

(Na_0.5K_0.5)_0.975Li_0.025Nb_0.82−xSb_xTa_0.18O₃ lead-free piezoceramics were prepared by the conventional solid-state sintering method. All samples possess a pure perovskite phase, and no secondary phase could be certified. The crystal structure changes from tetragonal to pseudo-cubic with increasing amount of Sb. The ferroelectric Curie temperature (T_c) shifts to lower temperature while the tetragonal to orthorhombic phase transition temperature (T_o-t) shows no obvious change with increasing Sb⁵⁺. Enhanced piezoelectric and electromechanical properties are obtained with x=0.06: d₃₃=352 pC/N, k_p=47% and k_t=38%, showing that they could be promising candidates as lead-free piezoelectric materials.